Colouring the World, through my Kaleidoscope!

Category Archives: Travel

Everyone in the world knows that the Greek Isles are one of the most breathtaking places on earth!! So much so that the mainland gets completely overshadowed. I mean, why go there when you can go to Crete, Corfu or Santorini?!

Here is a list of some impressive towns on the mainland of Greece to change your mind, as well as your itinerary on your next journey to this Mediterranean gem!

PLAKA NEIGHBORHOOD in ATHENS

Although Plaka is set in the largest city in Greece, this neighborhood gives you a feeling of a small tranquil, cozy town.

The narrow streets, cafes, restaurants, street artists and shops will provide a nice day in very picturesque surroundings!

THE METEORA

Part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thessaly region, the Meteora is an impressive monastery complex on the Mount Athos which actually forms an entiresmall town!

Meteora means “suspended in the air” and it is obvious why. The monastery is built on top of sandstone pillars (almost carved in them) and look like a natural extension of the rocks. It was built by the monks, who inhabited area in the 9th century.

NAFPLIO

Nafplio is a popular seaport town in Peloponnese expanding to the hillside near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. It is a popular day trip destination from Athens. Nafplio features traditional Greek architecture, although features from the days of Venetian rule can be found. Sights to see include the clock tower, churches dedicated to saints Nicholas and George and the brightly lit waterfront at night.

Extremely picturesque, Nafplio definitely give you that Mediterranean holiday vibe with all of the cute cafes and colorful flowers painting the cobblestone streets!

Nafplio features traditional Greek architecture, although features from the days of Venetian rule can be found. Sights to see include the clock tower, churches dedicated to saints Nicholas and George and the brightly lit waterfront at night.

PARGA

Who says you can only get prestige beaches on the islands?! Parga, located in the northwestern part of the regional area of Preveza in Epirus, boasts several sensational beaches with warm, blue waters. Lichnos and Valtos beaches are considered among the best in Greece, famous for their vast pristine coastline.

Nestled atop the slopes of Pezovolos hill, one can also find beautiful homes with a Mediterranean/Greek Isle feel attracting vacationers by the loads in the region of Epirus. Among historic architecture, Venetian castles and cozy cafes are abundance throughout the town.

METSOVO

Half hidden wrapped in a snow blanket as winter sets in, Metsovo practically looks like a painting! Situated in northern Greece, this popular winter destination is great for skiing.

Although it is a popular winter destination, really, any time is a good time to visit this picturesque village. Start from central square and have a delightful stroll around the cobblestone streets. You can head up to the 15th century church of Agia Paraskevi, famous for its carved wooden temple. Or, you can visit a 17th century castle, a folk art museum or a monastery with a watermill or one with 17th century wall paintings. End the day by sampling locally made cheese and wine.

I’m not trying to steer you away from the Greek Isles, but these are 5 among 500 astonishing places you might not have thought about checking out on your next voyage to Greece!

When I think of the Dutch countryside, I think windmills and tulips. I mean, it must be splattered all over books and the internet for a reason, because why else would I think that right?!

I imagined fields and fields of colorful flowerbeds. I saw it so clearly I could smell how fragrant it could have been! I was so excited to take picsssss and picsssss swimming inside those colorful, fragrant tulip fields with those big, huge windmill barns in the background.

I did a little research, but thought this is one of those things I want to go talk to locals about and have them direct me. This situation was like the biggest fail in life! The first piece of information person upon person told me (with smiley confusion on their faces, nonetheless – I must add here, Dutch people are extremely friendly!) was tulip season just ended. Literally by a day! My only thought was that it had to be impossible?!??! It was the middle of MAY! And you know….April showers, MAY flowers…..???????

So after tons of digging and chatting to locals etc, the whole deal is tulip season is basically only like a month and a half. After that, they cut the tulips and sell them all across Europe. And that is that. That is it. That is all. Go home stupid tourists, no flowers here. The reason the tulips get so much hype is that – for that month and a half – they are actually THAT beautiful! You just have to be there for that month and a half from around the end of March until mid-May.

The best place to go to see the tulips is in Lisse, which is in western Netherlands and considered in the Provence of South Holland. There, you will find the famous Keukenhof flower gardens (Don’t even ask me how to pronounce that, because the way I say it in my head, was NOT the way the locals pronounced it even to any degree! Dutch is an interesting language one may find entertaining if not familiar lol). I was told the best way to enjoy the tulip fields is if you bike through it! That would have been nice. Lisse was a bit far from Amsterdam, and since my schedule in the Netherlands was tight, it was a no-go. I figured if I go all the way over there, and it’s just a bunch of fields with no flowers, I would rather not waste the day traveling that far.

I ended up going nearby to Zaanse Schans, to take a chance to see the flowers (there were none!) but there were windmills!

It was a cute little village with traditional Dutch style cottages. I’ll be honest, it looked man-made, but I heard it is not. I don’t know, that’s just the feeling I got. Maybe it would have not felt that way, had there been tulips. This place was filled with tourists as well.

After taking a walk around for about 15 mins, I was pretty much done lol. None of my pics turned out nicely either. The sun was a little too bright, I was traveling with others who are not into photography and I didn’t have my selfie stick at that time.

I really did try to appreciate it but it just wasn’t for me. I think when you have a glorified image of a place in your mind, and it turns out to be not as magical, you can’t help feeling disappointed. In my defense, the way I see it, the world is humongous and every place you might end up traveling to and exploring may not be magical for everyone. There were some picturesque moments though….

This is my favorite pic!

I do have to note, as I looked out onto the open field (which should have been filled with tulips, and was the week before!) It totally reminded me of India! I have a fond memory of my cousins taking me for a drive in the countryside of Punjab on our way from picking up my nephew from his college (or “tuitions” as they call it lol) to show me the “real” pindh! Lol…

DDLJ…? 🙂

Sometimes you have to go to a place to understand these things so you don’t get so disappointed. Next time I go to Holland, I will know to go in April for the tulips. I will also try to research more villages I can go to any time, like Giethoorn, which I really wanted to go see but had no time. I wrote about it on my old magazine if you would like to check it out here:

Anyways, Holland is beautiful, but you have to go on the right season if you want to experience the whole galore of swimming in tulips. That was a major thing I wanted to see. I’ll probably do some more research on some other villages besides Giethoorn to explore any time of year without the disappointment of no tulips. Europe is known for some exquisite countrysides!

This guy made and sold fresh orange and apple juice. I posted a fun video on Instagram

Definitely on my bucket list is to tour around as many European countrysides as possible! You definitely need the time and also understand the best villages in Europe may not be the easiest to get to. Definitely do your research, plan ahead and accordingly and possibly rent a car.

Valletta is the Capital city of Malta, I’ve never experienced such an interesting city! You know a native Maltese person when you hear them talk. When they speak English (I actually can’t remember hearing many people speak Maltese, so I can’t speak for that, but I am sure it’s the same..obviously it has to be! lol), they talk in a sing-song style tone – which is the best way I can describe Valletta! It has steep sloping streets…so basically “sing-songy” streets! Baroque to Modern in it’s style and sooo beautiful!! The architecture here is like nothing I have ever seen either!

Valletta contains buildings from the 16th century onwards. The city is essentially Baroque in character with modern elements in selected areas. The Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House (which I don’t think I saw). The City of Valletta was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.

To be honest, I only decided to go because I felt I had to. It’s the capital of the island. A lot of reviews online say it’s worth seeing, but I wasn’t dying to go, so we went one evening thinking a couple hours would be enough. I definitely did not plan that accordingly! A city is a city was my ignorant New York mindset!

Once you arrive in, you are greeted with this big roundabout type thing with some cool art. As fascinated as I was with this big sculpture of a hand holding a bird…..

And this interesting sculpture with description:

I stopped everything as I noticed the sun setting behind this wall over a beautiful landscape!

Definitely spent about 20 minutes there taking pictures and just taking in the view that I lost my travel partner lol.

From there, there is a main street with tons of designer shops and cafes – many the typical global brands you are familiar with, and some you aren’t. There were musicians blasting loud tunes from their trumpets and various street performers. Something definitely gave this town a very Christmasy type vibe. Christmasy yet caveman lol.

As I was walking, I kept looking to my left where I noticed through the intersections that if you went down that side you would hit the view of the ocean.

So we decided to take a detour and check it out (and then get back on the main route and continue down) OMG – even more beautiful streets.

These streets, all different but with a pattern of steep sloping roads. The architecture was so unique! Valetta is a city with so much character! You picture yourself in some old Kris Kringle meets Flintstones type town back in time, haha! That’s the vibe you get!

Anyways, was hoping to get a close up, grand view of the sea – but realizing how slopy Valletta is; from the main street we could see the sea, but when we got to the edge there was a barrier that blocked the view, that we didn’t notice from the Main Street, because of the slopes!

We headed back on to the Main Street and found ourselves at a square with a fountain, and we noticed a bunch of cafes and a lively, floral, nicely decorated area to our left.

We continued straight though because we wanted to go all the way to the end of the city hoping for a view of the sea. Once we passed the square the streets were quieter and more residential. I keep saying this but the architecture was so unique!

The vehicles were a combination of modern, nice sports cars, classic, old school cars and stuff I have never seen before lol.

At the edge of the road, there was a turn that sort of led to a wider street. We found the sea there!! The streets went on but we knew we would have gotten lost if we continued, and it was getting late.

We headed back to the cafe area which was a nice, lively area! Hoping to try something different, perhaps local Maltese cuisine, which we were still trying to figure out what that was, beside Rabbit – yes, their most famous local dish is Rabbit! Italian food is quite common, as is American/British junk food. Unfortunately that’s all we pretty much could find. Don’t go to Malta expecting amazing cuisine. Ohhh, also, for some reason, the chicken is different there. I definitely could not eat it lol. I couldn’t even stand the smell! I don’t know how to explain it, but it just wasn’t right. I think all I ate in Malta was pretty much junky pizza and fries, ugh! Europeans also have a thing for mayonnaise. Mayo, bread and cheese. LOL. Very common in Europe. Finding food was pretty frustrating and being Indian, I need spice. Lots of flaming spice. A lot of places, when I asked for hot sauce, they gave me black pepper…..#fail. They did have good ice cream though!

As we exited, I noticed some ads for Malta Fashion week! I guess I was so mesmerized by the sunset I didn’t notice them when I arrived! Hosted by Mercedes Benz, so it’s pretty legit!

Valletta is definitely a place I want to go back to and explore more than just a couple hours! I don’t think I would look for a hotel there, as I doubt there are any beach resorts, and thats sort of my thing. I def would go back to Malta, stay at a beach resort in a neighboring area and do a full day trip to Valletta again and get lost in those sloping streets!

A week ago – I was there! I actually almost forgot about it until this winter when my friend was doing this great, big Euro tour and she actually went to the island (assuming my article inspired her, I am sure it did 😁) She told me how magical this little place in the world is and how she would love to retire there – I completely agree with her!

You can check out my article above in regards to some facts and info about Burano. Since I probably took around 6748 pics, I’m going to try my best to categorize them as best as I can. I’ll start off with street pics and whatever randomness I can’t think of a category for.

The funniest part of Burano, is there is another neighboring island, known for its handcrafted glassware, called Murano. So when I was asking directions, etc, the locals would be like BOOOOrano? or (however you say “or” in Italiano. Note to those traveling to Italy, learn some Italian first. OMG!) MOOOOOOrano lol.

Burano is simply stunning and you honestly – HONESTLY will NOT find another place like this IN THE WORLD!!! The colors!! and just the character. You will find laundry hanging from ropes outside peoples windows, lovely flower pots outside windows, etc so Italian style!!! You will see bikes, and just households daily “things” but to us it’s so rustic, intricate and has so much character. When I first arrived, I caught myself at every corner shrieking because every corner was SOOO CUTE. I walked along quiet corners to hear TV’s blasting from inside homes. I was actually curious to know if people actually lived on this island or if it was just for show. Some little 20 year old kid at a shop told me yes, people live there. He lived there. So I asked to him, since he is only 20 and most 20 year olds I know like to go out, party, go crazy and live life lol.. he responded something, but like most people I ran into in Italy, their English wasn’t the best so I couldn’t understand him. So that’s still a mystery! I think he misunderstood me though and told me neighboring islands good for partying. Since that wasn’t what I asked and I wasn’t really bothered anymore lol I just nodded and said “that’s great!” 😝

Unfortunately I had to catch the boat back, because it takes about an hour or so to get back to Venice, so I couldn’t catch the sunset, which I hear is worth a view – but I WILL be returning within the next few years, and will catch it!

Burano was hands down my favorite part of my travels from the past two weeks!!!!

Enough words – let’s let the photos do the talking. Since I took around 39426 pics, I’m creating groups based on categories. Here are the ones categorized as “random/backstreets” – I will follow up with the others.

view from the boat as we arrived onto Burano

I learned how to use a selfie stick during this day as well! My life is complete LOL

May is a special month in my household, well, for my mother at least! Because it’s Mothers day (May 13th), my parents anniversary (May 8th) and her birthday (May 24th). She’s had it good lol. So I wanna talk about her, her history and where she is from.

My mom was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. So basically she’s African ha. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to get information about my family roots and history just because it’s something that interests me and I think its important to know my roots. Supposedly my family (on my dad’s side) has some list tucked away in some temple or something in India with names upon names of relatives from back in time to now to create a family tree (I💖this!!!) My next trip home (I mean India when I say that) I have to inquire about this more from relatives who told me about it and GET MY HANDS ON THAT LIST!!!!!

I guess these days a lot of people don’t realize how large the Indian population is in Africa – because it seems like we are all in America, Canada, UK and Australia, outside of the motherland, obviously. I have met brown people in England who have such strong Africa roots, that they are clueless about their Indian roots. It’s just sad that down the road it’s going to become more blurry for all Indians in the diaspora. I remember once meeting someone in England, and when I asked them where they are from (expecting either a town/city name or region in India) and they said “Tanzania”…and I was like “okay, where are your grandparents from”….same answer. 😬🤯🤦 I kept trying to get the answer I was looking for but they just wouldnt budge. They didn’t have any details on India because they claimed that their great, great, great grandparents have been settled in Tanzania and they don’t know anything about India (🤨!) even though I can’t remember their name right now but it was either Khan or Patel!

Thankfully, I’m not that kid!! And I know where my grandparents are from 😁 lol – my mothers parents are from a village not far from Amritsar and moved/settled in Nairobi after they got married for my grandfather’s work related reasons. She’s told me stories of how beautiful a country Kenya is and I used to wonder if she ever missed it or wanted to go back for a visit, because she left right before my parents got married and never returned. The only couple other noteworthy thing she’s told me is that she went to an all-Indian school and also they had a family servant who they taught how to speak fluent Punjabi in our house.

Here are a few facts about Indians settled in Africa:

The Indian diaspora in Southeast Africa consists of approximately 3 million people of Indian origin.

South Africa is home to the largest population of people of Indian descent in Africa, at 1.3 million, mainly in Durban. In fact, Durban is sometimes called the “largest Indian city outside India” – though this claim has not been determined conclusively.

Although most East Africans believe that the people of Indian origin in the region are descendants of the laborers who built the Kenya-Uganda railway, this is not actually the case. About 32,000 indentured workers were brought in from India (mainly from the Punjab) to build the railway, but the majority returned after their contracts ended. Only about 7,000 chose to stay.

After the railway opened up East Africa for trade, and large numbers of “free” emigrants, mainly from Gujarat, followed in the years after many of the laborers from Punjab left. They came and set up trading posts deep in the interior, and became the traders and merchants of East Africa.

Remember that little boy named Gandhi (😜hello history lesson!!😂) he was 24 when he arrived in South Africa in 1893 to work as a legal representative for the Muslim Indian Traders based in the city of Pretoria. He spent 21 years there before returning to India.

In 1972, military dictator, Idi Amin, announced the expulsion of all persons of Asian origin in Uganda. The majority of those expelled went to the UK, Canada and Kenya. (so yeah – explains the British kids who think they are African when their last name is Patel – ALSO explains why in England they refer to Indians/Pakistani’s as “Asians”)

I need some less boring facts…….

One of India’s biggest cultural exports to Africa has been Bollywood, and it’s popular not just among the Indian diaspora. One unlikely place where Bollywood has long enjoyed immense popularity is Nigeria, particularly in the Muslim-majority north – which does not have any significant Indian immigrant community whatsoever.

One of the most popular of all Indian films in Nigeria is the 1957 classic film Mother India. A record from a popular entertainment magazine noted in 2013 that some people in the audience of a theatre showing the film had already seen the movie 15 times and sang along to all the Hindi songs (although their native language is Hausa).

SINCE THAT WAS KINDA BORING, HERE ARE SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT NAIROBI:

Just like New York has yellow cabs, Nairobi has “Matatus” which is a slang word for mini buses used for transportation.

Matatus are famous for their hype graffiti! Art representing pop culture, music, celebrities, etc are all painted colorfully on the body of the buses!

The Nairobi National Park is set in the city’s southern suburbs and is the most famous aspect of the city. What’s so amazing about this is you will find a sprawling field with wild animals with a backdrop of the city’s magical skyline! It’s the only place in the world you can capture lions hunting in the morning, and in a few minutes you are in a fancy shopping mall looking at Cartier watches.

Nairobi has the most number of malls in Kenya. The top shopping malls include Thika Road Mall ( TRM), Yaya Centre, The Junction and Garden City.

Nairobi was once a swamp. The skyscrapers of Nairobi sit on what was once a large swamp that Maasai pastoralists referred to as a place of cool waters. Over the century, this city has grown and extended over three counties to form the greater Nairobi metropolitan area. Now, Kiambu, Kajiado and Machakos counties are part of the greater Nairobi area.

Anyways, just wanted to give a shout out to my very favorite human on this planet and the place she grew up during her most special month. 💖 Her history, her life, culture, traditions, values, ways, teachings, blessings, ssacrifice, etc all make me, so gotta be thankful!

Everyone has their own rendition of where they think they are from. Living in a city like New York, people get asked a zillion times a day where they are from – the question can mean multiple things, and people will most likely answer with what they consider to be the strongest culture they represent – or what they assume the other person means. Travel and this melting pot of a world, we come across many different people from everywhere and not all of them look what one figures is “typical” of that region. We also come across many people from other parts of the world that immigrate and assimilate (forgetting or maybe not forgetting their roots) and I always have to stop and stare when I see someone who looks of a certain culture speaking fluently in a completely different language (example: Chinese people speaking fluent French – or I don’t know a black person speaking perfect Hindi)

Turkey is a country I am so not done with! Although (through my experience) Turkish airlines will most likely have you experience delays of 3-5 hours, but oddly enough, still get you to Istanbul Ataturk Airport at said time (which is 10 hours from New York) I kid you not – lol!

Next time you decide to visit this stunningly beautiful and culturally rich country, you definitely should take the path less travelled and check out these 3 hidden gems within the country:

BUTTERFLY VALLEY

The coastline of Turkey is usually bustling with tourists and luxury resorts. On the contrary, the Butterfly Valley (or Kelebekler Vadisi in Turkish) is serene, untouched and completely secluded.

Located in the south of Turkey on the west coast, the valley is only accessible via water taxi or boat. So picturesque, you will find majestic waterfalls, a wide beautiful beach with turquoise water so clear and calm it looks like a painting, treehouses, magical sunsets and forests that appear straight out of a fairytale all tucked away in the valley, waiting to be discovered by its explorers.

It’s no surprise that the valley, rich in flora and fauna, takes its name from the large number of butterfly species found here.

Butterflies of many varieties in a wide range of colors can be observed in the valley between June and September.

ISHAK PASHA PALACE

Located in the isolated region of Dogubeyazit, this palace is a striking example of rare historical Turkish palaces. It is one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of the 18th century Ottoman architecture and is very valuable in terms of art history. According to the top of the door inscription at the Harem Section, it was constructed in 1784, according to the Islamic calendar.

The palace, set on a hill, is grandeur in many ways than one; it has several rooms and courtyards just waiting for a glance. İshak Pasha Palace stands at a desolate valley today and the fact that it was the subject of various legends and stories add to its magnificent atmosphere some colour and mystery. It’s haunting beauty will definately allure you, and the view from the palace is a striking bonus!

Entrance from the outer to inner courtyard

Inner courtyard

DERINKUYU UNDERGROUND CITY

The deepest underground city in Cappadocia, this ancient city was built during the Byzantine era between 780-1180 AD, when it was heavily used as protection from Muslim Arabs during the Arab–Byzantine wars. The city was connected with other underground cities through miles of tunnels. At a depth of more than 250 feet with a capacity of up to 20,000 people, this multi-leveled city, with over 600 entrances, contained everything an entire population would need to survive a history riddled with invasions. The tunnels were rediscovered in 1963, after a resident of the area found a mysterious room behind a wall in his home.

A sunset is magical almost anywhere you view one, but there are a few worthy of a trek to see in person, that the camera lens will never, ever be able to justify.

Fun Fact: The incredible thing about sunsets is that no sunset is ever the same twice. Even the same sunset on the same day at the same time can bring a completely different experience depending on where you’re at. Sunsets are one of life’s consistencies; they happen every day. Yet they’re always a surprise. Perhaps that’s why they’re so magical. So magical that they can inspire travelers to see them in various locations around the world. Some are even worthy of trekking for days to find the perfect viewing spot!

HAWAII

Travelers know that Hawaii is blessed with the most magnificent sunsets in the world! Naturally, the beach is a classic place to see good sunsets. But you can also have sunsets delivered right to your room if you stay in the right resort.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

Puerto Vallarta is notorious for their beautiful, vibrant sunsets. Almost all of the resorts there have ocean-facing rooms, perfect for enjoying the sunset from your room’s balcony.

MASAI MARA, KENYA

Masai Mara National Reserve is an area of preserved savannah wilderness in southwestern Kenya. The landscape has grassy plains and rolling hills, and is crossed by the Mara and Talek rivers, great for safaris! Masai Mara is well-known for having the best photographic light in the world, not stopping the incredible colours which vary greatly from hot pink to vivid yellow to a dark burnt orange.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA

Perth enjoys some of the world’s most spectacular sunsets! The novelty of watching the sun sink into the Indian Ocean is not to be underestimated! Park yourself down at one of the city’s beaches (Cottesloe is a great choice!) and prepare yourself for the show.

ISLE OF SKYE, UK

Perhaps the most dramatic place to watch the sun set in the UK, the Isle of Skye combines perfectly a sense of mystery with the beauty that is synonymous with sunsets all around the world.

WADI RUM, JORDAN

Jordan is the land of wonders and unforgettable adventures – a glorious country with a timeless book that unfolds magical stories of history, people and nature. One of the most breathtaking occurances in Jordan is the sunset.

SEMINYAK, BALI

Bali is not only known for its culture, stunning landscape and temples but also snorkelling, beaches and of course sunsets. It’s a little piece of heaven in an already heavenly space! La Plancha beach shack is a fun, colorful spot where many enjoy watching the colours splash around the sky!

TAJ MAHAL, INDIA

The beauty of one of India’s most iconic landmarks is even more heighten with the soft glow of the sunset. A magical sight to behold surrounding the magic of the Taj Mahal.

SANTORINI, GREECE

This volcanic island is known to us for its stunning sunsets, dramatic views and white villages. It feels like you are in heaven and naturally would like to stay here forever.

CLIFFS OF MOHER, IRELAND

Cliffs Of Moher are probably one of the most visited spots in Ireland. This unique natural beauty is a must to see any time of the day but is worth to hang there and wait for the sunset – Weather permitting of course. 🙂

BORACAY, PHILIPPINES

Borocay is one of the most popular islands on the Philippines. It’s a given that as beautiful as the beaches are here in the day, the evening sky is nothing but insane! The sky literally looks like it’s fire! So many colors span across the sky.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town sunset is on the top of MANY lists simply because it is claimed many have not witnessed anything so beautiful. Every summer evening the sky puts a show that needs no filter or edits! It is hard to believe how colourful the sky can become in this part of the world.

Every sunrise and every sunset is so spectacular and incredible you will never forget any of them. There is something magical about sunsets, and we can’t get tired of seeing them. Every sunset is different and the moment of the evening sun turning the sky to a colourful painting is definitely worth looking forward to!

Image gliding through the open sky during sunrise on a hot air balloon over an incredibly gorgeous city. Sound appealing? Melbourne, Australia is where you need to go to for this truly world-class, unforgettable experience!

There are few major cities around the world where you can traverse by hot air balloon; and there’s no better way to see the world’s most livable city.

Sail the breeze besides sparkling skyscrapers and follow the Yarra River as it unwinds through parks and gardens.

For an hour, it’s just you and the sky. This is what freedom feels like! You have nowhere else in the world to be but here! Just as Melbourne is waking up, you could already be crossing something off your bucket list!

The ride offers a complete 365 degree view of the city at it’s glamorous, which is perfect for sightseeing landmarks such as Eureka Tower, MCG and Port Philip Bay.

Eureka Tower

Port Philip Bay

The baskets include cushioning around the inside for comfort as well as rope handles when in the landing position.

The ballons provide a safe, comfortable experience which meets the standards of CASA. Usually up to 5 balloons are flown at any one time over Melbourne.

Each basket can hold a 10 passengers but children under the age of 7 years old are unable to fly due to safety regulations.

So if you are looking for a once in a lifetime adventure that gives you a peek at city life from a totally different angle, then ballooning over Melbourne is a must! If such risks are just not your thing and you prefer being safe and sound on the ground, it still is something to go check out for some nice photography for the gram!

Keukenhof, which translates from Dutch to “kitchen garden”, is one of the largest, most beautiful flower gardens in the world! Located in Losses, Netherlands, which is not too far from Amsterdam, Keukenhof Park is home to approximately 7 million flower bulbs covering 79 acres of land planted annually. The Gardens and pavilions display eye-catching collections of not only tulips, but daffodils, orchids, hyacinths, roses, carnations, lillies, irisesand many more varieties of flowers! You would think you were swimming in a sea of flowers! Be ready to be overwhelmed with a spectacular array of colors and fragrance!

Keukenhof does not contain the typical long, traditional fields of tulips one may expect. You can find those everywhere around Holland though; and there are many right outside the park, so you won’t have to trek far to find one! They are normally privately owned.

The park has an indoor section as well as a beautiful fountain and let’s not forget the castle of Keukenhof! You can also take a boat ride around the lake to view the flowers and surroundings in a more scenic way.

In Keukenhof, there are a variety of different gardens and garden styles you will find, such as the English landscape garden, the historic garden, the Japanese garden, etc. There is also a different theme each year, so you will never see the same setup twice! This unique space in the world attracts over a million visitors every year!

Note: The park is only opened from the 22nd of March to the 13th of May (so go NOW!!) from 8am to 7:30pm daily. There is a Flower Parade as well, which will be held on the 21st of April.

Unfortunately, I may actually miss it by just a day, or maybe I can try to make it my first day in Amsterdam, so watch this space!